ERIC Number: EJ823802
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2008-Oct
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0022-006X
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Prospective Associations between Coping and Health among Youth with Asthma
Schreier, Hannah M. C.; Chen, Edith
Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, v76 n5 p790-798 Oct 2008
The present study evaluated whether primary and secondary coping would predict longitudinal asthma-related clinical outcomes, such as peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) and self-reported school absenteeism, rescue inhaler use, and asthma-related physician contacts, in youth with asthma. The 62 youth (68% males) had an average age of 12.6 [plus or minus] 2.73 years and were primarily of European origin. Coping and asthma outcomes were obtained by youth self-report at baseline and over a 12-month follow-up period. Greater secondary coping at baseline was related to greater increases in PEFR and a greater likelihood of physician contact over the following year. Greater primary coping at baseline was related to greater likelihood of rescue inhaler use, school absenteeism, and physician contact over the following year. In contrast, asthma measures at baseline did not predict changes in coping over the following year. These patterns suggest that youth who engage in secondary coping accept and adapt to their asthma in ways that improve pulmonary function over time. Youth who engage in primary coping may be more likely to communicate asthma problems to others, and such communication perhaps leads to increases in behaviors meant to address these problems.
Descriptors: Physicians, Diseases, Coping, Correlation, Health Behavior, Drug Therapy, Attendance Patterns, Predictor Variables, Adjustment (to Environment), Youth, Longitudinal Studies, Stress Management
American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org/publications
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A